Credentials That Matter While Selecting a Surgeon for Major Surgical Treatment

Abstract

Purpose The credentials of surgeons, which include elements such as medical degree and length of practice, are vital information that forms a perception of their expertise in the patients’ minds. The specific credentials that matter to patients and how important they are have not been suffi‐ ciently studied. The objective of this study was to assess the relative importance that patients assign to the specific credentials of a surgeon while selecting one for surgical treatment. Methods This study was conducted using the constant-variable-value vignette (CVVV) method. Four cre‐ dentials– medical degrees, duration of practice, medical college attended, and type of surgeries performed – were assessed for their relative importance to patients. The participants were provided with vignettes of medical situations that required major surgical intervention and profiles of surgeons who could perform the required surgery, each dominating the others in a specific credential. The participants allocated a total of 10 points across the four surgeons pro‐ portionate to their preferences. The response data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA and t-tests. Results The highest mean score of 3.73 (SD 2.21) was observed for the surgeon with focused experi‐ ence, followed by 2.55 (1.57) for the surgeon with the best medical degrees, 2.17 (1.65) for the surgeon with the longest practice experience, and 1.54 (1.47) for the surgeon from a higher ranked medical college. The mean of the surgeon with focused experience was significantly 1 # 1 ,* # 2 ,* 2/26/24, 3:14 PM Credentials That Matter While Selecting a Surgeon for Major Surgical Treatment - PMC https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10561753/ 2/12 higher than that of other surgeons, and the mean of the surgeon with the best medical degrees was significantly higher than that of surgeons with the longest practice experience and the sur‐ geon from the topmost medical college (p < 0.05). Preference did not vary with respondents’ age or gender. Conclusion Patients seem to prioritize the focused surgical experience and superior medical degrees in their selection of surgeons.